For an individual wearing corrective lenses, it is difficult to try on a new pair of glasses prior to purchasing them. Indeed, new the frames being tried on includes lenses that lack optical correction, and so the user cannot see further than the precision of his visual impairment. Thus, for an average myopic user for example, the user must come within twenty centimeters of the mirror to be able to observe himself. He cannot therefore assess for himself whether or not the new frame suits him. This is even more complex in the case of trying on a pair of sunglasses or tinted lenses which greatly reduce brightness, further decreasing the visibility of the user.
Known in the prior art are techniques for suppressing a pair of glasses in an image, particularly in the context of facial recognition.
These techniques are based on facial recognition, using feature points for detecting eye position. This detection coupled with learning the differences between faces wearing a pair of glasses and those not wearing any, allows the reconstruction of an image of an individual without glasses from an image of an individual wearing a pair glasses.
The major drawback of this technique is that it statistically reconstructs the face from images of individuals from an identical view angle, usually frontal. This technique operates in two dimensions, considering only the interior of the 2D field of the face in the image. In other words, all the elements of the pair of glasses being superimposed on a facial background are not considered by this technique, which is detrimental to images that contain pairs of glasses broader than the face or when the face is not facing front in the image.
Another major disadvantage of this technique is that it only takes into account pairs of glasses with a particularly thin frame, thereby excluding all pairs of glasses with thick frames.
Also known in the prior art are techniques which permit an individual to view himself on a screen by means of an avatar when trying on a new pair of glasses.
These techniques are based on acquiring prior images of the individual not wearing pair of glasses. These images allow to create a virtual model of the individual's head to which the model of the new pair of glasses is added.
The major drawback of this technique is that it does not achieve a realistic technique in which the eyeglass wearer can see his image on the screen as in a mirror, when trying on a new pair of glasses.
Finally, there are augmented reality systems which allow one to try on a virtual pair of glasses.
At present, none of the existing augmented reality systems allows to virtually remove a real object, such as for example a pair of glasses, on one or more individuals wearing such object.